The new gas turbine can operate in periods of high consumer demand, or when hydro inflows are low, or there is no wind. The generator will lift the site’s total generation capacity from 125MW to 170MW.
According to the company, the additional 45MW output is equivalent to the peak demand of up to 50,000 New Zealand homes.
The utility said that although it is currently focusing on renewable energy generation sources such as geothermal and wind, these weather dependent methods mean that a broader range of fuels is also necessary to ensure energy security under a range of different climatic conditions.
Mighty River Power said that as natural gas is flexible it is an important part of New Zealand’s energy mix. For example, when there are low hydro inflows or poor wind conditions, the utility can increase the gas-fired production at Southdown.
However, Mighty River Power chief executive, Doug Heffernan, said that while Southdown will contribute to improved energy security, transmission investment is still needed as it is the only way to get the 24-hour a day, seven-day a week reliability expected by consumers and businesses.
